There are lots of things to do in Ketchikan Alaska and this guide will help plan your visit. This city is usually the first Alaskan port of call on the popular Inside Passage cruise route.
The city sits in the vast wilderness of the largest national forest in the USA. Tongass National Forest is massive and covers nearly 17 million acres and includes the largest temperate rainforest in the world. These lands provide a home to an abundance of wildlife, including whales, bears, bald eagles, salmon, and wolves.
Ketchikan is a very walkable town to explore and it is home to the world’s largest totem pole collection. Poles from the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Indigenous people are scattered around the town, in the totem parks and Totem Heritage Centre in Saxman Village.
The Tongass Historical Museum, the SE Alaska Discovery Center and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show are all worth a visit. The famous historic red light district of Creek Street should not be missed. Find out more about these unique Ketchikan attractions below. Check out our handy Alaska Cruise Guide to explore the best ports of call or where to experience the best Alaska glaciers and fjords.
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Welcome to Alaska’s 1st City. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Ketchikan Alaska Excursions
Sightseeing tours in Ketchikan are available to suit all ages and activity levels. We have done shore excursions with Holland America Cruise Lines, used local guides and did our own walking tour to explore the town.
Booking a shore excursion directly aboard your cruise ship, like Holland America, Celebrity, Princess and others offers the quickest and easiest way to tour this area.
I have journeyed to Alaska eight times, with family, friends, and solo, or with my partner, mostly on Holland America.
Explore 12 things to do while in port in Ketchikan, Alaska. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Can you take a ferry to Ketchikan, Alaska?
The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system runs out of Bellingham, Washington and Ketchikan, Alaska is a regional hub.
The year-round ferry covers 3,500 miles along the west coast, serving 30 communities all the way to the Aleutian Chain of Islands. Some services have been reduced for the 2024 season. The ferry will not stop in Prince Rupert due to crew shortages and international service regulations.
Alaska Cruise: Where to experience the best Alaska glaciers and fjords
Can you walk around Ketchikan Alaska?
Yes, absolutely! From the cruise ship terminal, it is easy to walk around downtown and reach some interesting points of interest, including the famous Red Light District of Creek Street. No need to purchase tours with this option.
Cruise to Alaska – A crab boat in Ketchikan Harbor near the cruise terminal. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Ketchikan is a very walkable town to explore on your own. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Ketchikan is a very walkable town to explore on your own. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Take a tour around Ketchikan. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Things to do in Ketchikan Alaska
1. Saxman Village
Saxman Village is three miles south of the port. Enjoy a walk along the waterfront to the village, take a free shuttle bus or an organized tour.
- The Saxman Totem Park displays the largest collection of totem poles in the world.
- A visit to the carving center is a must to watch world-famous master carvers create beautiful works of art.
- Step inside the authentic Beaver Clan House at Saxman Village to learn about Indigenous culture and history. We were lucky enough to experience a performance of traditional Tlingit dancing. Performances are accessed through booking a cruise ship excursion or a local tour.
2. Totem Heritage Center
The Totem Museum provides a greater cultural understanding of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people.
The 19th-century totem poles displayed were retrieved in the 1970s from abandoned villages on Tongass Island, Prince of Wales Island, and Village Island. Why were the villages abandoned? People from these villages moved to Ketchikan to be closer to employment and educational opportunities.
The Totem Heritage Center carefully moved this important collection of North Coast poles with the guidance of Indigenous Elders. Most of the poles are highly weathered, but the detail remains.
Totem poles tell a story of a clan’s history or significant event, with each symbol having a meaning that has been verbally passed down through the generations. Sadly, many of these stories have been lost through the years.
3. Tongass Historical Museum
Find out about Ketchikan’s past, present, and future through a series of exhibits exploring its heritage and history.
Discover why aviation plays a significant role in the area. See a virtual exhibit.
Directional sign in downtown Ketchikan. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
4. Creek Street Red Light District
The famous red light district of Creek Street is within walking distance of the main cruise ship dock.
In 1903, all prostitution in Ketchikan was banned on this side of the creek. By 1927, 33 houses were reported to be offering services.
Prostitution was done openly here up until 1954. After this date, many working women went underground, retired, or moved to another area to ply their trade.
Historic Creek Street in Ketchikan is not to be missed. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Cruise to Alaska – visit Creek Street in Ketchikan. Fun for all ages. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
A beaver swims in the water as viewed from Creek Street. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
5. Dolly’s House at Creek Street
Come to Dolly’s House for a tour and to hear the story about the last legally operating madam of Ketchikan, Dolly Arthur.
Number 24 Creek Street was built in 1905 and became Dolly’s home, where she ran her business from 1919 to the 1940s. Dolly continued to live here until 1973, when she moved into a care facility.
Inside Dolly’s House on Creek Street. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Visit Dolly’s House on Creek Street, one of the famous brothels, to explore. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
6. Discover Woolly Mammoth Fossils
Arctic woolly mammoths roamed northern Alaska more than 13,000 years ago. Their fossilized remains are found in the permafrost.
The large curved tusks of the woolly mammoth are ivory and are Alaska’s state fossil. Jewelry and other items made from the tusks, hair, bone and teeth are found in Creek Street shops.
Alaska State Fossil – Woolly Mammoth ivory for sale at a gift shop on Creek Street. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
7. Ketchikan Hidden Gem – Pictish symbols found in Saxman Totem Park
This is a hidden gem that nobody will tell you about. Watch the video to learn more. Did Vikings come to Alaska?
We did not have time to search for this interesting spot near the Saxman Village.
8. Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is always a high-energy event. Watch athletic lumberjacks competing against each other; climbing trees, log rolling, wielding axes and chainsaws.
This skills competition commemorates the great Alaskan spirit and the rich forestry and logging history of the area.
The one-hour event is in a mostly covered, heated facility within walking distance of the cruise ship terminal. There are several shows daily.
9. Totem Bright State Historical Park
Totem Bright State Historical Park has 14 poles and a Clan House representing the Haida and Tlingit cultures. The park covers 11 acres and is set in the temperate rainforest by the ocean. Download a park brochure and guide to the 14 poles.
It is a 12-minute drive from the cruise ship terminal. The park is served by an hourly bus service.
One of the many totem poles in the parks around Ketchikan, Alaska. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
10. Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is one block from the cruise ship terminal in downtown Ketchikan. There are displays of the history and diversity of the Tongass National Forest, along with a recreated Indigenous fishing village.
A fish drying display in the museum in Ketchikan. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
11. Wildlife and Whale Watching
Wildlife and whale watching tours are available around the harbor and area. Two-hour tours offer a chance to view bald eagles, humpback whales and harbor seals. Sometimes whales come right into the harbor and can be spotted from the walkway.
There are lots of great organized adventure tours to participate in. Get out into the rainforest, ride an ATV, zipline, watch for black bears, indulge in a crab feast and more.
Float planes wait in the Ketchikan harbor. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
12. Misty Fjord National Monument
Misty Fjord is located 22 miles from Ketchikan. The spectacular beauty of the area’s wilderness can be explored by air or sea, to experience wildlife, waterfalls and vertical cliffs rising 3,000 feet.
13. Crab Feast Experience
Next time we visit Ketchikan, we will try the Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feast excursion offered by Holland America Cruise Lines. Experience travelling on a catamaran up the fjord to view the area’s wildlife, pull up a crab pots and then have a feast at George Inlet Lodge.
Alternatively, the historic George Inlet Lodge offers a fresh Dungeness crab meal with round-trip transportation. Tickets can be purchased here.
Quick Facts about Ketchikan Alaska
- The town of Ketichikan sits on Revillagigedo Island on the Inside Passage, 90 miles north of Prince Rupert, BC.
- Ketchikan has the world’s largest totem pole collection.
- The Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the USA.
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About the Author:
Wendy Nordvik-Carr is a highly regarded travel writer who produces quality, well-researched articles with stunning photography and video.
She seeks out authentic experiences showcasing the people, culture and history that make each destination unique. Her focus is on solo, couple and multigenerational travel through cruising, air and road trip adventures.
Wendy is the editor & writer for LifesIncredibleJourney.com, an award-winning travel site that encourages exploration of destinations near & far.
She is a TMAC Director, Chair, National Governance Committee and Chair of TMAC's BC & Yukon Chapter, as well as a member of SATW, IFWTWA and NATJA.
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